Kunming, capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province, has implemented 72-hour visa-free stays to international transit passengers since October 1. Kunming Tourism Development Committee and Kunming Changshui International Airport signed a strategic cooperation agreement on October 15, hammering at providing a series of tourism products for tourists. 

  The policy is said to provide a lot of convenience for international passengers, who do not have to apply for visas yet stay at Kunming for 3 days. Foreign passengers from 51 countries will enjoy the policy. The 51 countries are Austria, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, America, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Russia, British, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Rumania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Australia, New Zealand. 

  Kunming is the ninth city to introduce a visa-free policy following Beijing and Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenyang, Dalian, Xi'an.

  Special 72-hour visa-free transits and counters are set up in the airport to simplify procedure and save time. “Procedure is quite convenient and fast.” An official of the airport said. However, no foreigner has applied 72-hour visa-free service up to now. 

  Kunming Changshui International Airport is the fourth-largest airport in China, which is provided with integrated functions of city's transportation hub. Up to this August, Kunming has opened to air traffic with 130 cities, including 29 international cities and 4 areas. The airport has 269 air routes so far, with 39 of them are international air routes. The number is still increasing. Kunming will open a direct air route connecting Paris by the end of the year. Air routes connecting Kunming and North America and Austria will also be opened in the near future. 

  72-hour visa-free policy is expected to boost tourism development of Kunming. Kunming, renowned as the “Spring City”, has boasted its spring-like climate all the year round over the world. Its pleasant climate, advantageous geographic position and profound ethnic culture have attracted a lot of tourists. From InKunming